Lewis layman



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS LAYMAN, OF WESTFIELD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. P. IVHITNEY, OFSAME PLACE.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,606, dated November 6, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnws LAYMAN, of Westfield, in the county ofChautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Reversible Slides for Locks and Latches; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part otthis speciiication, in which- Figure l, is an interior view of a lockwith my invention applied to it. Figs. 2 and 3, horizontal sections ofthe same taken in the line at, a', Fig. l. These views shows the latchin two different positions.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalgures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of locks andlatches which are provided with reversible slides for the purpose ot'adapting one and the same lock to either a right or lett-hand doorwithout inverting the former.

The invention consists, in a novel and improved construction of the hubby which the slide is actuated, whereby the slide is held firmly inproper position, the hub made to tit snugly in the lock or latch case,and the slide readily adjusted or reversed in position when required.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the case of a lock and B, the bolt, the latter beingfitted in the case and arranged in the usual way.

C, represents the side latch, the outer end a., of which is beveled atone side as shown at in order that the side may, on shutting the door beforced within the case as the beveled side Z), comes in Contact with thenosing A. The end a, of the slide is attached to its body or shank c, soas to form a shoulder d, at each side of the shank of equal width asshown in Figs. 2, and 3, and the inner end of the body or shank c, isprovided with a yoke or fork D, the ends of which have heads or crosspieces e, e, which project at equal distances from each side of theprongs of the yoke or fork D.

E, represents the hub of the lock which is provided with four arms f,said arms projecting from the hub E, in pairs from opposite sides of thehub. The arms f, embrace the prongs of the yoke or fork and either pairbear against the heads or cross pieces e, e, as the hub is turned tothrow back the slide latch.

The body or shank c, of the slide adjoining the end a, is provided ateach side with a projection g, against either of which a spring F,bears, said spring having a tendency to keep the slide C, forcedoutward.

The slide C, it will be seen may be readily reversed so as to convertthe lock into a right or left-hand one as occasion may require, bothsides of the slide being precisely alike so that the operation of theslide will be the same when adjusted in either position.

The hub E, provided with its four arms f, serves to retain the slide C,in proper position and the hub is made to tit snugly in place and is notliable to be casually displaced in opening the lock case to reverse theslide, a contingency of frequent occurrence in adjusting the reversibleslides as hitherto arranged. j

I ain aware that reversible slide latches have been previously used forconverting a lock or slide latch into a right or left-hand one at will,and I therefore do not claim broadly such device; but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The employmentor use of a hub E, provided with four arms f, projecting in pairs fromopposite sides of it, in connection with a reversible slide C, havingthe prongs of its yoke or fork provided with heads or cross-pieces c, e,the hub being applied to the yoke and all arranged essentially as andfor the purpose set forth.

LEVIS LAYMAN. lVitnesses JOHN F. TowNsnND, CHARLES H. Tons.

